Mangaluru Youths Duped in Overseas Job Scam: Stranded in Armenia, Victims Return to Tell a Tale of Horror

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Mangaluru : A shocking job recruitment scam has come to light where over 30 youths from Mangaluru and surrounding areas were lured to Armenia with the promise of high-paying jobs, only to be cheated of lakhs of rupees and forced into menial labor. After enduring months of hardship, three victims managed to return home on December 4th and have filed formal complaints at the Bajpe and Kadri police stations.

The Fraudulent Promise The victims identified the accused as Rakesh Rai from Ganjimath, Bhushan Kulal from Yeyyadi, and Antony Preetham from Garodi. One of the victims, Manjunath Naik, who previously held a stable executive position in Mangaluru with a ₹40,000 salary, was lured by Rakesh Rai with the promise of a Warehouse In-charge role in an American company based in Armenia. The scammers promised a monthly salary of ₹1.5 lakh (paid in Euros) and convinced the victims that no recruitment agency was needed as they were “already settled there.”

Reality of Armenia: From Executive Jobs to Manual Labor Trusting the accused, Manjunath pawned his mother’s jewelry to pay ₹2.40 lakhs for the visa and travel. Upon reaching Armenia via Dubai on October 8th, he realized the grim reality. Armenia, a country with fewer economic opportunities than India, had no such American companies or warehouses. Instead of the promised professional roles, the youths were crammed into small rooms with dozens of others from Mangaluru. To survive and afford even basic meals, these youths were forced to work as daily wagers, carrying cement bags, lifting stones, and cleaning toilets in freezing temperatures.

Legal Nightmare and Deportation The scam took a legal turn when the victims realized they were sent on 21-day tourist visas, not work visas. The accused kept them there for three months, making them “illegal immigrants” in the eyes of the Armenian government. To return to India, the victims had to pay a fine of ₹50,000 each for overstaying. Since they had no money left, they had to sign a bond stating they would never return to the country, resulting in a ban that might hinder their future travel to other nations as well.

Accused Living Lavishly in Dubai According to the complainants, the three accused have now fled Armenia and are currently staying in Dubai. The victims allege that the trio is living a lavish life, spending the hard-earned money swindled from innocent Mangalurean youths. The victims, who are now burdened with heavy debts and the loss of their previous jobs, are demanding strict action against the culprits to prevent more people from falling into this “Armenia trap.”